Role of amino acid properties to determine backbone τ(N–Cα–C′) stretching angle in peptides and proteins Original Research Article

The analysis of the basic geometry of amino acid residues of protein structures has demonstrated the invariability of all the bond lengths and bond angles except for τ, the backbone N–Cα–C′ angle. This angle can be widened or contracted significantly from the tetrahedral geometry to accommodate various other strains in the structure. In order to accurately determine the cause for this deviation, a survey is made for the τ angles using the peptide structures and the ultrahigh resolution protein structures. The average deviation of N–Cα–C′ angles from tetrahedral geometry for each amino acid in all the categories were calculated and then correlated with forty-eight physiochemical, energetic and conformational properties of amino acids. Linear and multiple regression analysis were carried out between the amino acid deviation and the 48 properties. This study confirms the deviation of τ angles in both the peptide and protein structures but similar forces do not influence them. The peptide structures are influenced by physical properties whereas as expected the conformational properties influence the protein structures. And it is not any single property that dominates the deviation but the combination of different factors contributes to the τ angle deviation.